Secrets secrets are no fun
by monkeygirl77
Summary: Its the little things that tipped them off to something being wrong, his change in attitude, in appitite, and routines. There is something wrong with their youngest brother and they are going to get to the bottom of it one way or another.


"Right! High Five!"

Lucifer smiled excitedly and held a hand up for Gabriel. The Messenger eyed him carefully and looked away. The Morningstar slowly calmed, his excitement fading as it was left unreturned, it was unlike Gabriel to be so quite.

Unlike him to not see the humor in causing Michael grief.

Things since Lucifer's return had slowly started returning to the way they had been before all the fighting had even started back at the beginning of this entire mess.

The great Morningstar reopened the Choirs, and once again his voice melded in with the younger angels as they sang out in joyous refrain. It was a sound that they had all so missed, and cherished now that they had it back.

Rapheal rebuilt the Hospitals and healed his Healers. It took a while but soon enough they were back up and running just as much as they had been before.

Gabriel took time to rebuild his messengers tower, there had been arguing and yelling for the longest time, his old choir not exactly happy that their archangel had up and left them like he had, without so much as a goodbye. But no one could stay mad at that particular archangel and it wasn't long before they were laughing and messing around again.

And then he was sent on a mission by Father for the first time in forever.

...

Michael in turn set aside his own misgivings about Lucifer's latest prank to exchange looks with the other in regards to their younger brothers lack of prank excitement.

"Gabriel is everything alright?"

Silence fell over them as they each turned in tune to look down at their young Messenger. Gabriel took a moment, looking at something down on his shoe, and finally turned his attentions up to his older brothers.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

They each exchanged looks again. At least one thing still rang true, Gabriel was a horrid liar, he'd always had been.

Raphael narrowed his eyes slightly, immediately drawn to the slight hitch in his stance, tilting his head to the side only slightly.

"Gabriel what is wrong with your left side?"

The Messengers eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance.

"Nothing is wrong."

Michael straightened and Lucifer crossed his arms sternly.

"Watch your tone, little brother."

He glared and shoved them aside, wincing so minutely that Raphael almost missed it ut he's had much much practice, and he hums softly to himself crossing his own arms over his chest.

"Why don't you watch your face."

...

"Has anyone seen Gabriel?"

Lucifer looked around the map room and shook his head, the messenger no where to be seen, Michael heaved a sigh and rubbed at his forehead.

"No, have either of you?"

Raphael and Lucifer exchanged looks and shook their heads, "No but Joshua came to me yesterday, he found his sleeping in the Garden the other day."

Lucifer nodded, "And the day before Bath Kol found him sleeping behind the Throne."

"And Heman found him the day before that in the Armory."

"And Cerviel by the gates."

Michael sat back in his chair, his eyebrows met together in concern, "He hasn't been acting the same since he returned from that mission Father sent him on a while ago. He usually comes to me to tell me all about his adventures but this time...not a single word."

They waited until they couldn't wait any longer and had to start the meeting without their younger brother, Gabriel never showed up, and they only grew in aggravation that he wouldn't share what was wrong and concern in that it might be something serious.

...

"Let go! You can't do this to me!"

Gabriel struggled to free himself from his brothers grip but it was solid, Raphael had finally had enough of his avoiding the issue at hand and had taken it into his own to get it taken care of.

"I can and very much will if you refuse to do so yourself, _little_ brother."

Gabriel tugged and yelled digging his nails into the flesh of his brothers wrist but nothing got him to move away, if anything his grip tightened.

"You're being unbelieveable!"

"I am being unbelieveable? I think your mistaken. You are being childish."

He sneered, "At least the children dont cry when they see me? How many of them did you turn a blind eye to when they were being brainwashed?"

It was a low blow and he knew he had hit below the belt when Raphael turned to look at him betrayed and he almost apologized. He hadn't the slightest idea as to what was actually going on, he'd been told one thing and they'd done another.

He'd been completely devasted even so long after.

Gabriel took the moment of weakness though and wrenched his wrist free. He didn't stick around to see what his complete reaction was going to be and made a run for it down a side hall, his heart pounding and side aching horridly, but he didn't dare turn back. Raphael had undoubtedly already went to Michael and Lucifer and now he was going to be in trouble for going too far and that was something that he just couldn't deal with right now.

He bolted into his room and slammed the door behind him, breathing heavily and whimpering in slight pain Gabriel pressed a hand to his side and stepped forward to collapse onto his bed, possibly take a small nap to calm the aching and wait until his brothers chilled out again and this thing passed over for the day.

Gabriel startled when he fell over onto his bed, and he immediately bumped shoulders against someones legs, and his arm rubbed over someones toes. Immediately he looks up in surprise, eyes widening at the sight before him. Lucifer smiled but gave him a look that clearly said he was unimpressed. Michael wasn't much different, his arms crossed over his chest lightly, it had been his toes he'd rubbed against.

"Gabriel enough is enough, we know there is something off."

The lights began to glow around them, not too bright but enough the room was filled with a soft glow. Raphael moved forward and he grimaced, Michael and Lucifer took hold of his wrists and pulled him back to a laying position as the Healer took a seat on the edge of the bed and lifted his shirt away to reveal the wound. It wasn't very big but it did run deep, and it was obvious he had not been taking care of it nor gotten it looked over by at least one of the healers, it was was red and inflammed and puffy, obviously infected.

"Gabriel!"

Raphael poked at the wound, pressing finger tips in gently at certain points and then gaging the reaction he got to determine the seriousness.

"Honestly, why didn't you say anything? Any other time I would show such of my disapproval in taking it out on this belly of yours, and believe me when you are well again I have half a mind to still do such a thing, but this is horrible. It's unclean and infected. What were you thinking?"

Gabriel blushed at the scolding and threat of punishment, because Raphael so would too, and of he was real upset about it he'd use his wing tips and go on for hours until he just went mad from laughter.

He didn't move when he felt his brother press a palm to his wound and the feeling of warm grace flowed into the wound.

"This does explain much though, certainly the out of place attitude flip you underwent, and recent behaviors."

Michael rumbled with a hum, "Though that is no excuse. And you should know better then to hide a wound from us. It was a foolish thing to do."

He made to snark, they could see it on his face, in the way his eyes glowed dangerously. Lucifer narrowed his eyes, and when Raphael was noticeably finished with his healing, he adjusted his grip slightly and tugged him over. Gabriel sqwauked and rolled over forcibly half onto the Morning Stars lap.

"Now now, mind that tone of yours, we'll let it slide seeing as you haven't been-"

Lucifer was interupted and he looked up to see Michael grinning at him and Raphael chuckling softly behind a hand, the healer lightly scratching at the messengers lower back. Gabriel rolled into the touch and mewed again. Michael joined in, still smiling that same smile, scratching softly at his shoulder. Lucifer huffs at them but can't help himself, Gabriel is so close to dropping off and he can feel his breathing slowly evening out.

"You guys are such pushovers."

"And you're not?"

Gabriel's soft snore stops any arguement that might have been.


End file.
